


I See You

by redtribution



Category: The Blacklist (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Lizzington - Freeform, prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-12
Updated: 2015-04-12
Packaged: 2018-03-22 11:01:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3726301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redtribution/pseuds/redtribution
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Liz overhears Reddington singing "Ageing Superhero."</p>
            </blockquote>





	I See You

**Author's Note:**

> Anon prompt: "Hi there! I was wondering if you could do a LIZZINGTON prompt wer liz hears see red singing "Ageing Superhero" by Newton Faulkner then she realizes what the song means to her nd to him nd his need to protect her... But he is unaware she's there... Wen he sees her she's like "sorry, I just love the song" and all den she likes understand him ... Then I'm sure you can do d rest... I mean I've read your works and they are fab! More power to u and ur blog my friend... :) thanks again..."
> 
> Hope you like it! I had to get a ukulele in there, hence Ressler's cameo at the beginning.

Elizabeth Keen was running late.

It had been one of those mornings. She had woken up from a very strange dream featuring Reddington only to find that she had slept through her alarm. Liz mentally cursed herself as she boarded the Post Office lift, hoping Cooper would be too preoccupied to notice her tardiness.

As the door slid open at the top of her ride, it wasn’t Cooper that greeted Liz but Ressler.

“Slept in?” He teased.

Liz smiled as she stepped off the lift. “Bingo.”

“Well, Reddington’s waiting for you in our office. I have to go talk to Cooper, but before I do I just wanted to let you know: there’s a ukulele on my desk.”

Liz raised her eyebrows.

“Don’t ask,” Ressler said, his expression deadly serious. Liz nodded, confused, and Ressler turned and walked away.

Liz approached her office with apprehension, aware that she looked rather haphazard due to her late morning. Not that Reddington would care…

Liz stopped quite suddenly just outside the door to her office. The blinds were drawn so she couldn’t see inside, but…was that ukulele music she heard? With a quick look around to ensure that no one was watching, Liz peeked around the door frame.

Reddington was sitting on Liz’s desk, his back to her. In his hand, she could see the neck and headstock of a ukulele protruding. He had obviously removed it from Ressler’s desk and appeared to be quietly tuning it. Liz smiled to herself. She decided to watch for a bit, her curiosity piqued. Quietly, she stepped into the doorway and leaned a shoulder on the doorframe.

Reddington cleared his throat. He strummed once, and then began singing softly.

 _“_ _Every time I think of growing up I find out that I just slipped back,_ __  
I got it all wrong you know me,  
Feel younger than I did when I was younger on a backwards track…”

Liz smiled. The song was one of her favorites.

_“_ _But I won't see the signs_ _  
it took so long but you were always on my mind, yeah,”_

Reddington turned his head to glance at the fret board. Liz could see the tip of his nose, the curve of his eyelashes. She examined them with pleasure, assured that he would never know she was looking. It occurred to her that Reddington might not see himself as beautiful. The thought saddened Liz.

“ _Time is running out and I just want to say I'm sorry now,_ __  
Before I'm all alone again, and I'm broken and cold  
The ageing superhero in me is tired  
Because he's lived too fast for too long  
and he still longs to be inspired.”

Liz furrowed her brow. As the strumming pattern changed, she noticed how Reddington’s shoulders slumped as he played the next verse.

 _“I feel old, feel broke feel cold and I can't fight back,_ __  
It sounds so stupid I,  
But it's gone, this train won't run,  
Guess it must be the track…”

Reddington paused for a moment, Liz heard him sigh softly. Suddenly, the song felt intensely personal, in a way it never had before.

“ _But I won't see the signs_  
it took so long but you were always on my mind, yeah,”

Liz thought back to all the times that Reddington had been there for her, when no one else had. As Reddington’s nimble voice warbled through the chorus, Liz began slowly stepping toward him, her feet silent. She didn’t know why, exactly, only that she wanted to be close to him.

“ _For all the times I've tried to take a little time out for myself,_ __  
I'm just growing all alone again  
But I find in my mind that I'm not  
Time is running out and I just want to say I'm sorry now,  
Before I'm all alone again, and I'm broken and cold-”

Liz’s foot tapped the leg of Ressler’s desk ever so softly. Reddington jumped, turning quickly to check behind him. A look of surprise crossed his face as he saw how close Liz stood.

“Lizzie—”

“Sorry,” she said quietly. “I just…I love that song.” Taking a step closer to him, she looked into his eyes. “Go on.”

Reddington swallowed. He turned so that he was facing her and continued, holding her gaze.

_“But I won't see the signs;  
it took so long but you were always on my mind, yeah,”_

Liz took another step toward Reddington. She now stood very close, her face a foot away from his.

_“For all the times I've tried to take a little time out for myself,”_

Liz felt tears prick the corners of her eyes. She reached out with both hands and softly grasped Reddington’s lapels. She saw heat rising in Reddington’s face, but he continued playing.

_“I'm just growing all alone again”_

Liz gazed into Reddington’s eyes. In his glance, she saw fear and love and pain and courage. It was like looking into a mirror.

_“But I find in my mind that I'm not.”_

Liz reached up with her right hand and pushed the brim of Reddington’s hat up. Reddington took a shaky breath and ceased playing. Moving slowly as though afraid to spook her, Reddington set the ukulele back on the desk. He placed a gentle hand on her waist. The skin between his eyes crinkled in fear and anticipation, but Liz wasn’t afraid.

Liz bent her head. The last thing she saw before their lips touched was Reddington’s eyes sliding shut.

The kiss began gently, a light touch of lips. Reddington was full of trepidation. Liz was full of fire. She tugged him by the Lapels, searching his mouth out with the tip of her tongue. At last, Reddington melted. He pulled her against him, his hand snaking around her waist and up between her shoulder blades. Liz slid her hands up to grasp his face as he stood, their tongues entwining. Liz lost herself in his touch, her body responding to his every move with enthusiasm. She moved her hand down his chest and stomach, tugging him closer by the belt. He gasped into her mouth, and Liz’s lips curled in satisfaction.

Reddington pulled back and leaned his forehead against Liz’s. To her satisfaction, he was breathing hard.

“Lizzie?” He asked brokenly.

Liz slid her eyes open, pulling back from him ever so slightly. He was looking at her with a mixture of hope and confusion.

“What…what changed?” He whispered.

Liz tilted her head up and kissed him gently. She pulled back and looked deep into his eyes. He looked more alive than she had ever seen him.  

Liz smiled the fullest she had in weeks. Her lips trembled slightly as she answered.

“I see you.”


End file.
